Firing button for releasing a trigger and opening a cartridge ejection gate

ABSTRACT

An automatic firearm having a breech casing with means for feeding cartridges thereto. A channel is associated with the casing for the ejection of empty cartridge cases and a trigger release for firing is provided. A gate for the channel has means for operating the gate to open and close the channel. A common control means is provided for operating the trigger release and the means for operating the gate so that the gate is opened before the first round is fired and shut after the last round has been fired.

[451 Feb. 8, 1972 Unite States Patent Hottinger Relerences Cited [54] FIRING BUTTON FOR RELEASING A TRIGGER AND OPENING A UNITED STATES PATENTS Molina et ul. lllruth CARTRIDGE EJECTION GATE v t 2.779.243 l/l957 l72| Inventor: (smrud (..llottlngenflurlch.hwilzerlmni 32mm "966 Assigncc: Wcrkleugmaschlnenlahrlk Oerllkon-Buh- Primary Examiner-Samuel W. Engle Assistant Examiner-Stephen C. Bentley Attorney--Wenderoth, Lind &. Ponack d n h r e Z .n w S m m 9 Z1 G4 m hu rJ .m h H l 2 2 l. N 43 [2!] App 0 ,418 ABSTRACT An automatic firearm having a breech casing with means for [30] Foreign Application Priority Data June 18, 1969 Switzerland feeding cartridges thereto. A channel is associated with the casing for the ejection of empty cartridge cases and a trigger release for firing is provided. A gate for the channel has means .89/33 F, 89/ 136 for operating the gate to open and close the channel. A com- ..'..F41h 7/06 mon control means is provided for operating the trigger .89/27 F, 33 R, 33 F, 135, 136 release and the means for operating the gate so that the gate is opened before the first round is fired and shut after the last round has been fired.

[51] Int. [58] Field oiSearch................

6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTED FEB 23 1972 SHEET 1 [IF 3 CONRAD HOTTINGER, Inventor Attorneys vmmenraa 8m 3.640.177

SHEET 2 BF 3 CONRAD HOTTINGER, Inventor Attorneys PATENTEDFEB 8l972 3540.177

CONRAD HOTTINGER, Inventor Attorneys FIRING BUTTON FOR RELEASING A TRIGGER AND OPENING A CARTRIDGE EJECTION GATE The invention relates to an automatic firearm having a trigger release and a gate for opening and closing a channel for the ejection of the empty cartridge cases.

. In a known automatic firearm the gate actuating mechanism comprises a linkage and a flap connected to the linkage. The flap is opened by the linkage as the barrel of the firearm recoils and recovers. Closing of the flap is initiated by the empty cartridges passing through the ejector channel. The fact that in this arrangement the flap is opened prior to the ejection of each cartridge and closes after the cartridge has been ejected is undesirable at the high firing rates of modern automatic firearms because the flap is no longer able to adequately respond to the high repetition rate. In addition it is subjected to excessively high wear and stress. I I

It is an aim of the invention to overcome this drawback by identical with-those described'with opening the cartridge ejector channel prior to the beginning of a burst and by not closing the same until after the end of the burst.

An automatic firearm according to the invention comprises a trigger release and a gate for opening and closing a channel for the ejection of empty cartridge cases, and common control means for operating the trigger release and means for opening and closing the gate in which the gate is opened before the first round is fired and shut after the last round has been fired.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings of which FIG. 1 is a side elevation of an automatic firearm according to the invention mounted on a rotatable armored turret;

FIG. 2 is a cross section taken on the line IIII of FIG. 1 in which the cartridge ejector flap is closed;

FIG. 3 is a similar section to that of FIG. 2, in which the cartridge ejector flap is open;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the arrangement of FIG 2, seen in the direction of the arrow A in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a section on the line VV of FIG. 2, and

FIG. 6 is the layout in diagrammatic form of an electrohydraulic system for actuating an automatic fireann according to the invention.

With reference to FIG. 1 an armored turret 1 is mounted for rotation about a vertical axis on an armored vehicle (not shown). A ring 5 which is bolted to the turret 1 supports a rotatable ring 4. The rotatable ring 4 is attached to a plate 6 provided with a geared quadrant 8. The geared quadrant 8 is engaged by a pinion 7. Two trunnions 9 and 10 are supported on the plate 6 for mounting a firearm 3. The firearm 3 can be elevated about a horizontal axis 2. Located below this axis is a deflector 11 which deflects ejected empty cartridges away from the turret.

With reference to FIG. 2 cartridges 13 are fed into the breech casing 12 of the firearm by feed wheels 14 inside a casing 15. Two metal plates 16 and 17 extend from below the breech 12. In combination they form a channel 18 through which are ejected empty cartridge cases. The front and rear of the ejector channel 18 is bounded by plates 19 between which the metal plates 16 and 17 extend. Whereas the angle between the two plates 16 and 6 is very acute, the other metal plate '17 is almost perpendicular to the plate 6. Consequently flie cartridge ejector channel 18 which begins directly below the breech widens outwards from the breech. The metal plate 17 is attached to a section 20 mounted between the two supporting plates 19. The plate 16 which likewise spans the distance between the two supporting plates 19 is securely affixed to an arcuate bottom plate 21 which is in turn attached to an arcuate steel apron 22 secured to the plate 6.

A deflector gate 23 comprising a sheet metal flap 24 is mounted on a hinge 25. The hinge 25 is housed in a recess in the metal plate 16 and pivots about a hinge pin 26. T he pin 26 is mounted in straps 27 firmly attached to the plate '16.

The flap 24 of the gate 23 has a lug 28 to which a cylinder 30 of a hydraulic actuating unit 31 is. pivotably attached by a pin 29. Lugs 32 are also positioned in the angle formed at the joint between the bottom plate 21 and the apron 22. The

piston 34 of the hydraulic actuating unit 31 is linked to the lugs 32 by a pin 33. The cylinder 30 projects through an opening 35 in the plate 16. The hydraulic actuating unit 3] has a connection 36 for the supply of a pressurized fluid. In the illustrated position the hydraulic actuating unit 31 is not being supplied with pressurized fluid and the biasing force of a spring force of a spring 37 is therefore able to pull the cylinder 30 downwards and to keep the flap '24 of the gate 23 in contact with the section 20. In this position of the gate the cartridge ejector channel 18 between the plates-l6, 17 is closed.

With reference to FIG. 3 the same arrangement is shown as that in' FIG. 2 but with the gate 23 open, in which position the flap 24 has been swung into its other extreme position parallel to the plate 16, the cylinder 30 having been pushed downwards towards the pin 33 against the biasing force of the spring 37. Since the components in FIG. 3 are otherwise referenceto FIG. 2, no further explanation is given;

With reference to FIG. 4 there is shown a plate 16 between thetwo diverging plates 19. The flap 24 of the cartridge ejector gate is closed. At the junction between the apron 22 and the arcuate bottom plate 21 (covered by the bottom plate 21 and plate 16) are the two lugs 32 which support pin 33. The bifurcated end of the piston 34 of the hydraulic actuating unit I 31 is linked to the pin 33. The cylinder 30 of the hydraulic actuating unit 31 projects through the opening 35 in the plate 16 and its bifurcated end'is articulately connected by the pin 29 to the lug 28 on the flap 24. The flap 24 is attached to the hinge 25 which pivots about the hinge pin 26 mounted between two trunnions 27. The two trunnions 27 are secured to the plate 16.

With reference to FIG. '5 the hydraulic actuating unit 31 is shown in section. The piston 34 is pivotally mounted on the pin 33 mounted in the two lugs 32. Firmly attached to each side of the piston 34 is a plunger rod 38. A piston road 39 in the center supports a piston head 40. The cylinder 30 has cylindrical bores 41, 42. The two bores 41 receive the plunger rods 38 each surrounded by a spring 37. The bore 42 is so dimensioned that the piston head 40 is slidable therein while maintaining sealing contact with the walls of the bore. A gland nut 43 closes the bore 42 to the outside, leaving a chamber 44 between its inner end and the piston head 40 into which pressurized fluid is introduced. The piston road 39 slides in sealing contact with the wall of a central bore 45 of the gland nut 43. The cylinder 30 is articulately connected by the pin 29 to the lug 28. A vent 46 connects the bore 42 in the cylinder 30 to the atmosphere.

With reference to FIG. 6 there are two single-acting hydraulic actuating units 31, 47 associated with'restoring springs. The actuating units are both connected at 48 to a common fluid pipe and a throttling check valve 49 is incorporated in the connection to the actuating unit-31, said valve providing free admission of pressure fluid but a throttled rate of return. The hydraulic actuating unit 31, as already described, serves for operatingthe cartridge ejector gate 23, whereas the other actuator 47 operates the trigger release,(not shown) of the firearm. A two-way valve 50 incorporated in the hydraulic circuit is operable against the resistance of a spring by a solenoid 51. In its inactive position the two-way valve50 provides communication between the pipe junction 48 and a'reservoir 52. The solenoid 51-is connected to a battery 53 and to a switch 54 for energizing the solenoid. The-switch54 is the firing button of the firearm. The two-way valve 50 is' also connected to a pressure supply pipe 55 which communicates with a relief valve 56 for overload protection.

The described automatic firearm and electrohydraulic system operates as follows.

When the firing button 54 of thefirearm is depressed the solenoid 51 of the two-way valve 50is thereby'connected to the battery 53 and thus energized. Consequently the piston of the two-way valve50 is shifted against its restoring spring and point 48 is connected to the pressure supply pipe 55. The

'hydraulic fluid'therefore enters the cylinders of the actuating units 31, 47 at a pressure determined by the relief valve 56. The pistons of the two actuating units 31, 47 are displaced by the same hydraulic pressure and move at constant rates into their respective operative positions.

The fluid entering the hydraulic actuating unit 31, as will be understood by reference to FIGS. 2 and 5, causes the cylinder 30 to be forced downwards contrary to the biasing force of the spring 37. Consequently the gate 23 which is coupled to the cylinder 30 by the pin 29 is swung down in a clockwise direction about its hinge pin 26. FIG. 3 also shows that in its extreme open position the flap 24 of the gate 23 is substantially parallel to the backplate 16.

The displacement of the piston in cylinder 47 releases the striker pin in the firing mechanism of the firearm, (not shown) and thus causes the first round 13 (FIG. 2) in the breech 12 to be fired.

The empty cartridge cases that remain when the fireaml is fired fall into the channel 18 and strike the flap 24 of the gate 23. They rebound in the outward direction and are thus ejected.

When the firing button 54 is released all the above mentioned components return into their positions illustrated in FIG. 2, 4, 5, 6. Owing to the collapse of the magnetic field of the solenoid the twoway valve 50 returns to the off position. The hydraulic fluid is returned by the biasing force of the restoring springs through the supply pipe and the valve 50 into the reservoir 52. The fluid from the actuating unit 31 is delayed at a constant rate by having to pass through the check valve 49. Consequently the return motion of the piston hydraulic actuating unit 31 is much slower than the return motion of the piston of the hydraulic actuating unit 47. The last empty cartridge cases from the one or two rounds that are still fired at the end of a burst are therefore still able to leave the channel l8-notwithstanding the fact that the gate 23 is already beginning to be closed by the return motion of the cylinder 30. In order to ensure absolute reliability the closing rate of the gate 23 can be controlled by adjustment of the throttling effect of the check valve 49.

I claim:

1. An automatic firearm comprising a breech casing, means for feeding cartridges to said casing, a channel associated with said casing for ejection of empty cartridge cases, a trigger release, a gate for said channel, means for operating said gate to open and close said channel, and a common control means for operating said trigger release and said means for operating said gate so that said gate is opened before the first round is fired and shut after the last round has been fired.

2. An automatic firearm according to claim I wherein a firing button controls a two-way valve incorporated in a hydraulic fluid system leading to said trigger release and to said means for opening and closing the gate.

3. An automatic firearm, according to claim 2, wherein said hydraulic system incorporates a check valve to act as a throttle on said means for opening and closing said gate.

4. An automatic firearm according to claim 1 wherein said means for operating said gate comprises a cylinder, a pivotally mounted piston or said cylinder, a spring positioned between the piston and cylinder biasing them apart, and a pivotally mounted flap forming said gate articulately attached to said cylinder.

5. An automatic firearm according to claim 4 in which said piston comprises a rod and a head, and is slidable in a bore in said cylinder sealed by a gland nut, said rod being in sealing contact with said bore and said gland nut, and means for passing hydraulic fluid into a chamber between the head of said piston and said gland nut.

6. An automatic firearm according to claim 4 in which said cylinder has a bore for the reception of a spring biased plunger rod, said spring being attached to said piston. 

1. An automatic firearm comprising a breech casing, means for feeding cartridges to said casing, a channel associated with said casing for ejection of empty cartridge cases, a trigger release, a gate for said channel, means for operating said gate to open and close said channel, And a common control means for operating said trigger release and said means for operating said gate so that said gate is opened before the first round is fired and shut after the last round has been fired.
 2. An automatic firearm according to claim 1 wherein a firing button controls a two-way valve incorporated in a hydraulic fluid system leading to said trigger release and to said means for opening and closing the gate.
 3. An automatic firearm, according to claim 2, wherein said hydraulic system incorporates a check valve to act as a throttle on said means for opening and closing said gate.
 4. An automatic firearm according to claim 1 wherein said means for operating said gate comprises a cylinder, a pivotally mounted piston for said cylinder, a spring positioned between the piston and cylinder biasing them apart, and a pivotally mounted flap forming said gate articulately attached to said cylinder.
 5. An automatic firearm according to claim 4 in which said piston comprises a rod and a head, and is slidable in a bore in said cylinder sealed by a gland nut, said rod being in sealing contact with said bore and said gland nut, and means for passing hydraulic fluid into a chamber between the head of said piston and said gland nut.
 6. An automatic firearm according to claim 4 in which said cylinder has a bore for the reception of a spring biased plunger rod, said spring being attached to said piston. 